"It always has been." He added: "I've made very public my concerns around the handling of defence at the moment and what the vision is." But welcoming the victory, the new council leader, Tudor Evans, said Labour would bring change to city, adding: “This is a triumph for Plymouth.” Earlier on Friday, Theresa May’s party also lost control of one of its flagship councils in the north-west as Trafford fell to no overall control following a sustained assault by Labour activists in recent weeks.